Spring device



J; K. MAKI SPRING DEVICE Sept. 14, 1937.

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Patented Sept. 14, 1937 UNiTED STATES PATENT orrlcs 3 Claims.

This invention relates to a spring device and it primarily aims to provide a practical and ecient substitute for metallic springs, especially but not necessarily, those used to absorb the shock imparted to the wheels of vehicles, especially automobiles, buses, trucks or the like.

It is further aimed to provide an eiicient ole` vice of the present character operating on the principle that a change in volume of gas will cause a change in pressure.

It is further aimed to provide a structure which will require no lubrication, will be noiseless and cannot rattle, will not break by subjection to severe shock, is easily adjustable for varying blows and will prevent sudden downward motion of wheels, axles or the like caused by loss of upward force on the wheel.

The more specic objects and advantages will become apparent from a consideration of the description following taken in connection with accompanying drawing illustrating an operative embodiment.

In said drawing:-

Figure l is a view in side elevation of the improved spring device;

Figure 2 is a plan View of said improved spring device;

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 3--3 of Figure 1; and

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary cross sectional view on a plan taken through the ination Valve.

Referring specically to the drawing wherein like reference characters designate like or similar parts, the device has a receiver plate at Ill and a shock plate at II, respectively adapted to be attached to the chassis of a vehicle and to an axle thereof, or correspondingly to any parts between which a shock is to be absorbed, whether in an automobile or vehicle or in any other relation where shock is to be absorbed. Such plates are preferably metallic. Plate I0 is shown as elongated and marginally has a depending male clincher flange at I2. The plate II is preferably round and it has a marginal, male clincher flange I3.

Removably disposed between the plates I0 and II is a shoe or casing I4 which is continuous and 50 open a't top and bottom. This casing is made of any suitable flexible material which is inelastic or but slightly elastic externally and is rendered water and weather proof, as for instance by a rubber coating at I3. The main wall 55 of the casing I4 may be of canvas or constructed of material similar to the outercasing or shoe of automobile tires. Such casing I4 at the upper edge has a continuous female clincher ange at It which is engaged by the clincher flange I 2. At the lowei` edge of the casing I4, there is a female 5 clincher flange II which is engaged by the clincher flange I3.

Disposed between the plates Ill and II and within the casing is a bladder I8, preferably removable, whose wall is made of elastic rubber, such bladder having an iniiation valve structure I9 passing removably through an opening 2E) in the plate I0.

It will be realized that when tube I8 is inflated through the valve I9, the parts connected to the l5 plates Il! and II will be connected in a manner where shocks are absorbed. It will also be realized that they are separably connected to the casing by means of the clincher flanges and that the bladder is removably disposed within the structure.

The spring operates on the principle that a change in volume of any gas will cause a change in pressure. The change in pressure is indirectly proportional to the change in volume,

Pf-Vl Also the pressure of a gas is equal in all direcn tions. "o

According to the above principle if the change in volume is small in proportion to the total volume the change in pressure will also be small. It is therefore desirable to have a large container as compared to the volume displaced by the shock plate of this machine when it is caused to move upward in order that the least amount of resistance will be caused but suflicient toreturn the shock plate to its normal position.

The natural shape of a flexible container under suiiicient internal pressure is round. In this machine this is taken advantage of by having internal pressures great enough that the shape of the container will be substantially round or circular about the axis x-:v in Fig. 2. This will thus prevent any downward motion of the shock plate from its normal or neutral position. The area of the shock plate must be such that the pressure within the casing multiplied by the area of the d shock plate will be just enough to support the weight caused by load on the receiver plate.

Various changes may be resorted to provided they fall within the spirit and scope of the invention.

I claim as my invention:-

1. A spring device of the class described having a receiver plate and a shock plate, and a pneumatic structure substantially circular about its longitudinal axis carrying said plates on opposite sides thereof, said receiver plate being elongated and the other plate being substantially round, said pneumatic structure at its lower surface diverging downwardly away from the shock plate.

2. A spring device of the class described having a receiver plate and a shock plate, and a pneumatic structure substantially circular about its longitudinal axis carrying said plates on opposite sides thereof, said receiver plate being elongated and the other plate being substantially round, said pneumatic structure at its lower surface diverging downwardly away from the shock plate,

for said bladder extending through one of said 15 plates.

JACOB K. MAKI. 

